Guatemala: fear for safety: Julio Morales Reyes, community activist, and other workers at the Coordinadora Cakchiquel de Desarrollo Integral (COCADI)

3 mars 1995, N° d'index: AMR 34/005/1995

Julio Morales Reyes, a community activist particularly known for his work with COCADI, which promotes development projects amongst the Cakchiquel and other indigenous communities in Chimaltenango department, is recovering in hospital after an attempt on his life. He was shot by two men on 28 February 1995. He has been threatened several times in the past because of his work. On 2 February 1995, two other COCADI activists were beaten up. This pattern of attacks heightens fears for the safety of Julio Morales Reyes and his co-workers at COCADI.

EXTERNAL (for general distribution)AI Index: AMR 34/05/95

Distr: UA/SC

UA 56/95Fear for safety3 March 1995

GUATEMALAJulio Morales Reyes, community activist

and other workers at the Coordinadora Cakchiquel de Desarrollo Integral

(COCADI), Cakchiquel Coordinator for Holistic Development

Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of Julio Morales Reyes, who

is currently recovering in hospital after an attempt on his life. He is a

community activist, particularly known for his work with COCADIwhich promotes

development projects amongst the Cakchiquel and other indigenous communities

of Chimaltenango department.

On 28 February 1995, as he was leaving COCADI's offices in Chimaltenango,the

capital of the department, Julio Morales was intercepted by two men who asked

for his papers and then shot him. They then fled on a motorcycle which was

parked nearby.

Julio Morales has been threatened several times in the past because of his

work. Many of his co-workers have also been threatened over the years. In

another incident, on 2 February, two other COCADI activists were stopped and

beaten up by heavily-armed men in civilian clothes. The attackers did not

take any of the activists' possessions, suggesting that the motive was not

robbery. This pattern of attacks, and the fact that in the past,persons wounded

in apparently politically-motivated attacks have been snatched from their

hospitals beds and "disappeared", heightens fears for the safety of Julio

Morales Reyes and his co-workers at COCADI.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Since former HumanRights Procurator, Ramiro de León Carpio, took over the

presidency of Guatemala in May 1993, human rights violations including